Feds Allege Big Labor Violations At Market Basket

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DeMoulas Supermarkets runs more than 60 Market Basket stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire

DeMoulas Supermarkets Inc., the company that owns Market Basket grocery stores, faces some hefty federal fines.  Jenn Abelson writes for Boston.com that the US Department of Labor is citing Demoulas “for 30 alleged ‘willful, repeat and serious violations.'”

More specifically, the Department of Labor wants DeMoulas to pay $589,200 in fines for violations at stores in Rindge and Concord, New Hampshire.

As Jenn Abelson reports at boston.com, one incident sparked federal action:

“The inspection of the Market Basket store in Rindge began after an employee sustained broken bones and head trauma earlier this year when he fell 11 feet to a concrete floor from an inadequately guarded storage mezzanine, according to the press release. Rather than call for emergency help, store management lifted the injured worker from the floor, put him in a wheelchair, and pushed him to the store’s receiving dock to wait for a relative to take him to the hospital.

The Concord store inspection started in May after an OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] supervisor observed the same type of fall hazard as the one at the Rindge store. The labor department, in the release, said employees at both grocery stores were exposed to falls from heights greater than 11 feet while working on top of produce coolers, freezers, and storage lofts that lacked adequate guardrails. The agency previously had cited DeMoulas for the same hazard at the Concord store as well as Massachusetts stores in Fitchburg, Lawrence, and Tewksbury.”

Also:

“Employees who worked in the produce, deli, and bakery departments at the Rindge and Concord supermarkets also were exposed to laceration hazards from knives because the grocery chain failed to conduct a hazard assessment and provide hand protection, according to the release. DeMoulas previously was cited by OSHA for the same types of hazards at its Tewksbury and Westford supermarkets.”

Abelson reports that, “DeMoulas Supermarkets has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings.”